by 12 people |
The Internet has helped genealogy grow in popularity in the last 10 years, and now more and more people are not only finding their ancestors online, they're also creating their own family trees online.
Squidoo is a perfect place to create your own family tree online. There are no hosting costs, weird coding things to learn, or connectivity issues. Just a simple, streamlined way to keep track of who's who in your family and what's going on.
Now it's easy to keep up with the Jones's. And the Smiths, and the Johnsons, and the Carters...
Organize your Materials
Genealogy gurus often have a LOT of stuff. Lots of photos, lots of research, lots of written things, etc. If you create a lens with 18 different focuses, it will be long, cluttered, and unappealing to your visitors. The first step is to organize your materials.Decide what you will be using your lens for. Will you be providing information to look for new relatives? Will you be displaying the porfolio you've created? Are you starting from your generation and archiving forward?
Once you have an idea what you'll be using your lens for, you can create your modules accordingly. Don't worry! You can do all of these things - create as many lenses as you like!
What modules could you use?
These are just some examples and ideas for using modules in your genealogy and family tree lenses. You'll be able to choose what works for you and come up with your own excellent ideas!
- Flickr
Show off photos of your family, scans of old photos, photos from special events, and pictures of the work you've done so far. You can even scan in scrapbook pages and letters. - Write! (and add an image)
Journal about special and important events, such as immigration, births, deaths, and weddings. - RSS
Insert your genealogy blog (if you don't have one, start one!) - Link List
Connect with other genealogy and family tree websites, or create a list of related Squidoo lenses from your family. - Guestbook
Have family members leave messages for a fun and interactive guestbook. - Google Maps
Map locations of birthplaces and burial grounds. - Write!
Post information you have or ask for help getting missing data.
Get the entire family involved!
You don't have to do it all alone. Create a great group of lenses by having each family member create a lens for themselves. Then you can link them all together.Even kids can set up their own lens. There is no cost whatsoever, and by adding modules you can keep the pages organized. (Plus, kids will love sharing off their artwork and hobbies with long-distance relatives!)
Resources to get you started
Here are some other lenses you'll find at Squidoo.
- Genealogy Headquarters
- A group on Squidoo for genealogy information. Add your lens.
- Genealogy Columns and Articles
- From Squidoo master Jeffry V comes a great list of links, books, and magazines that will help you get organized and get 'da info.
- Beginners Genealogy Tips
- Neat links to vital records databases and printer-friendly forms that will help you stay organized.
- Genealogy Sources
- Neat forms, books, and software that you can use for your ancestral hunt.
- Genealogy is Fun
- Includes links that kids will find easy to understand and fun to use.
What kind of lenses can you make?
Here are some ideas for individuals lenses you can create and group together. Fun for the entire coast-to-coast family!
- Births
Photos, fav foods, personality quirks, and such. New parents love showing off their babies. - Family Burial Sites
Photos of headstones, maps to the graveyard, maps of the sites within the yard, who's buried there, why this location, etc. - Weddings
Have new couples create a wedding lens that outlines how they met, where they got married, where they're living, etc. - Family Reunions
Create a snapshot of your favorite family activities with lots of photos and descriptions. Have everyone write something about the weekend. - Kids Events
Get a few clips on YouTube for the kids ballet recitals and soccer practices.
NEW! Family Groups for Genealogy and Family History Lenses
Create your own special place on the web with our new Family Groups on Squidoo! Search for your surname in the list below. (Be patient, we're getting them up as fast as we can!) Then visit the Wells Family Group for tips and ideas on how to make yours totally awesome.
Did this help?
I hope you got some great ideas and inspiration to start your own genealogy lens. Let's see those families!!
submit
-
Reply
- ChapelHillFiddler ChapelHillFiddler Aug 24, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
- I did a genealogy lens already on my surname, because it seemed like the most accessible way for me to put the information out there for MY OWN BROTHER who has never before shown any interest but now is interested. What do you think? http://www.squidoo.com/peppler-family
-
Reply
- Nochipra Nochipra Apr 10, 2009 @ 12:09 am
- Thanks so much for this info! I'm planning on doing a lens on the research I did for my mom's side of the family. Great lens!
-
Reply
- carolita62 carolita62 Mar 29, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
- Thank you thank you thank you Kimberly- I am new to squidoo and I want to write a lens on my experience in creating my family tree. This Lens is a total help.
-
Reply
- slotowngal slotowngal Feb 8, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
- Thanks for the tips! I'm excited to try making some genealogy lenses of my own.
-
Reply
- BRichford BRichford Nov 26, 2008 @ 9:07 am
- Great lens Kimberley, It gave me additional ideas for more lenses. Thanks
- Load More
by KimberlyDawnWells
I'm Squidoo's Community Organizer, which means my focus is on building the community: bringing in new lensmasters, developing...
(more)Explore related pages
Genealogy and Family History- Searching for one's Genealogy and Family History and constructing the family tre...
Geneology- Wouldn't it be fantastic to find your family roots? Are you feeling alone and wa...
Genealogy Products Reviewed- As a keen Genealogist I know that there are a wide variety of Genealogy Products...
Tracing Your British House History- How do you find out about your homes past? This fascinating subject is bec...
Using SquidWho to make genealogy pages- Making family trees has never been more fun! This lens will show you how to use...
Family History- Basically family history or genealogy as it is known is a record of your family...
